Slump ends: Strunk back in Victory Lane

Strunk, who ripped off a pair of Big Diamond Speedway victories in April only to go winless since, returned to Victory Lane on Friday night at the Minersville oval. Strunk earned $2,750 for his third checkered flag of the year in Vinnie Salerno's No. 4* mount, a ride he picked up during the offseason.

"It went in our favor tonight," offered Strunk, a 44-year-old professional dirt modified driver from Pottstown. "The way our luck has been going lately, we came here tonight needing a good run and we got it."

Strunk started the 25-lap main from sixth position and by Lap 5 had moved into third.

At lap 7, former Big Diamond champion Doug Manmiller ducked to the inside of Ray Swinehart to press his Josh Biever-owned No. 46 into the lead. Two laps later, Strunk followed into second with an invading Duane Howard, making his first start at Big Diamond this year in a Chad Sinon-owned No. 4, following into third.

Howard had cleared Strunk for second moments before a yellow slowed the event on Lap 9. Scoring reverted to the last completed lap, placing Strunk alongside Manmiller for a double-file restart.

"That made the race, right there," Strunk said of Howard's placement on the restart. "The 4 (Howard) would have been tough."

Strunk got the edge from the outside of the green and held the top spot through a pair of restarts on Laps 10 and 12, the latter of which was for Howard, who spun entering Turn 3 and collected Kevin Albert Jr.

"I don't know if we had more gear than Doug or what," Strunk said. "It just seemed like I got a better restart than him."

The final 13 laps spun off caution-free and Strunk pulled away for the victory.

Strunk said the performance of his car improved as the race progressed.

"The first four to six laps, I never would have bet that I would have won," Strunk said. "After about eight or 10 laps, it got better. I didn't feel good at all in the beginning. The track was slimy early on with the water they put down. I don't know if it took the tire that long to come in or what."

Manmiller of Shoemakersville settled for a second-place finish.

"We had a good car but Jeff was a little better than me," Manmiller said. "I should have known you could roll the top like Jeff did, but that's the problem when you get to the front quick."

Craig Von Dohren of Oley finished third from the 10th spot, followed by ninth-starter Frank Cozze of Wind Gap and Howard of Oley, who charged through the field from last.

Tim Fitzpatrick of Branchdale earned the biggest win of his career in the 45-lap Andy Fayash Memorial sportsman event. The race was run in honor of Fayash, a longtime Big Diamond competitor, who lost his life in May at 54 years of age.

Fitzpatrick started 21st, avoided a number of early race skirmishes, and took the lead following a Lap 14 restart.

"This is the biggest win ever for me," said Fitzpatrick, who earned $1,570 plus lap money and other bonuses. "If you would told me I would win tonight from 21st, I would said you were crazy."